Dennis O’Brien (1914-1984) [Able-Seaman, Royal Navy]

[Dave Pattern]

• born 24 April 1914 (Q2 1914 Huddersfield née O’Brien)
• possibly married Winifred Ismay (Q1 1946 Huddersfield)
• died in the Huddersfield area

Records:

• 1939 Register (FindMyPast) – 2 Mitre Street, Huddersfield (future wife Winifred)

Notes:

• worked as a nurse at Storthes Hall from circa 1960 (photo in Examiner 5 June 1974 pg 7)
• was secretary of the Storthes Hall Sports & Social Club (photo in Examiner 3 May 1983 pg 5)

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Huddersfield Examiner (30/Nov/1940):

HOLMFIRTH MAN IN SEA DRAMA

This portrait is of Able-Seaman Dennis O’Brien, the Huddersfield man who was aboard the City of Dublin, which, as we reported recently, raced through a hurricane to an Irish port with a dying man.

Able-Seaman O’Brien, whose home is at 24 Main Road, Primrose Hill, has been at sea since he was fifteen. He left his ship about four years ago to “become a land-lubber,” but went back into the merchant service on the outbreak of war, and took his certificate as a ship’s anti-aircraft gunner. He has spent a good deal of time in Spanish ports while his ship has been waiting for clearance papers, and he told the “Examiner” in an interview, which appeared in Saturday evening’s paper, that a visit to Spain would hearten anyone in this country considerably. The Mediterranean, he said, is absolutely closed to enemy merchant ships. “The Navy has them bottled up in the north around Gibraltar, and they daren’t come out for their lives.”

He does not believe that Spain will join the Axis Powers — not in spirit, at any rate. “Spain,” he said, “is in no condition to fight, for more than half the country is starved and unemployed.”

Huddersfield Daily Examiner (13/Sep/1984):

MRS IRENE TAYLOR and the FAMILY of the late DENNIS O’BRIEN would like to convey their sincere thanks to all relatives, friends and neighbours, colleagues at Storthes Hall and all Dennis’s many friends for the kind expressions of sympathy, cards of condolence and beautiful floral tributes received in their sad bereavement; thanks to the doctors, nurses and staff at St Luke’s Hospital for their care and attention and to the Rev Ian Jackson, the vicar of St John’s, Newsome, for his kind and comforting service. A special thank you to Mr Kevin Curran for all his much appreciated help. 2 St John’s Avenue, Newsome.

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